Caregiving, Grief, and Loving Until the End | Tony Stewart

What do you do when your partner says, “I have tumors in my lungs and spine”?

We don’t get instructions for that kind of moment. And we definitely don’t get told what it means to carry someone you love through the hardest, slowest, most beautiful goodbye. In this episode, I talk with Tony Stewart—writer, partner, caregiver—about what shifted the day his wife, Lynn, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and what he learned as they walked through the next six years together.

This conversation isn’t just about loss.

It’s about presence.

And what happens when you let yourself feel every bit of it.

• He learned to access and express emotions he’d long buried
• He discovered the healing power of sharing his raw, unfiltered truth
• He found beauty – even joy – amid the hardest days of his life

🎧 Listen to this episode now to hear how love and grief reshaped one man’s understanding of what it means to live.

Tony Stewart is the author of *Carrying the Tiger: Living with Cancer, Dying with Grace, Finding Joy While Grieving*, a memoir chronicling the six years he spent walking alongside his wife through her terminal illness. Originally written as journal entries to keep friends and family updated, the story became a powerful testament to love, presence, and emotional truth. Tony now shares his journey to help others feel less alone in their own grief and caregiving experiences. Learn more at tonystewartauthor.com.

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The Life Shift Podcast shares real, honest conversations about the pivotal moments that transform lives. Host Matt Gilhooly invites guests to explore the life-changing events, unexpected challenges, and personal awakenings that have shaped who they are today. 

Through candid storytelling, listeners discover powerful journeys of identity, resilience, grief, healing, and growth. If you’re drawn to personal growth stories, inspired by how people rebuild after loss, or fascinated by the quiet moments that spark profound change, The Life Shift offers heartfelt insight and inspiration. New episodes every Tuesday.

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